Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Investigating technologies
in agriculture
YEARS 5 & 6
Design and Technologies
Contents
Introduction.......................................................................................................... 3
About the approach............................................................................................. 4
Teacher notes....................................................................................................... 5
Australian Curriculum content descriptions............................................. 6
Implementing the unit and activities in the classroom............................ 7
Some questions and possible answers..................................................... 9
Fast facts about Australian agriculture............................................................... 10
National Farmers Federation FarmFacts 2012...................................... 10
Meat and Livestock Industry ................................................................. 11
Fishing and Aquaculture Industry .......................................................... 11
Cotton Industry ...................................................................................... 12
Pork Industry ......................................................................................... 13
Forestry Industry.................................................................................... 14
Dairy Industry......................................................................................... 15
Step 1: Engage with the topic............................................................................. 16
Getting started....................................................................................... 16
Step 2: Explore the topic.................................................................................... 19
Explore maps and some primary industry sectors................................. 19
Step 3: Explain understandings.......................................................................... 22
Step 4: Elaborate on concepts and ideas............................................................ 23
Presentation planning............................................................................ 23
Step 5: Evaluating .............................................................................................. 24
Think back and evaluate......................................................................... 24
References.......................................................................................................... 25
Resources........................................................................................................... 27
Resource 1.1........................................................................................... 27
Cover photo courtesy of Angela Colliver
Rationale
This resource material aims to help teachers and students in primary schools
investigate and understand more about primary industries in Australia.
Provide resources which help build leadership skills amongst teachers and students
in communicating about food and fibre production and primary industries in An integrated
Australia.
Educate school students on ways food and animals are raised and grown.
that emphasises
Demonstrate to students that everyone can consider careers in primary industries the relationship
and along the supply chain of food and fibre products.
between food and
Assist school students to spread this message to their families and the broader
community. fibre industries,
Develop engaging learning programs using an inquiry process aligned with the individuals,
Australian Curriculum.
These educational resources are an effort to provide practical support to teachers and
economy.
students learning about food and fibre production and primary industries in schools.
Several key principles underpin the theoretical and practical application to this unit.
used, is the inquiry Reflect both on the product created and the process undertaken.
approach through Rather than seeing knowledge as something that is taught, the emphasis in this unit
ison knowledge and understanding that is learned.
five phases: The unit involves students in:
Engage, Explore, Working from a basis of their prior knowledge and experience
The approach used, is the inquiry approach through five phases: Engage, Explore,
Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate. The phases of the model are based on the 5Es
instructional model (Bybee, 1997). This unit of work containing student activities
assists students to raise questions, gather and process data, make conclusions and
take action. These phases are:
Engage: The Engage phase begins with lessons that mentally engage students
with an activity or question. It captures their interest, provides an opportunity for
them to express what they know about the concept or skill being developed, and
helps them to make connections between what they know and the new ideas.
Explore: The Explore phase includes activities in which they can explore the
concept or skill. They grapple with the problem or phenomenon and describe it in
their own words. This phase allows students to acquire a common set of experiences
that they can use to help each other make sense of the new concept or skill.
Explain: The Explain phase enables students to develop explanations for the
phenomenon they have experienced. The significant aspect of this phase is that
explanation follows experience.
Elaborate: The Elaborate phase provides opportunities for students to apply what
they have learned to new situations and so develop a deeper understanding of
the concept or greater use of the skill. It is important for students to discuss and
compare their ideas with each other during this phase.
Evaluate: The Evaluate phase provides an opportunity for students to review and
reflect on their own learning and new understanding and skills. It is also when
students provide evidence for changes to their understanding, beliefs and skills.
Source: Primary Connections http://www.primaryconnections.org.au/about/teaching
Resource description
This is a unit with five inquiry teaching sequences about some of the diverse primary
industries in Australia and roles that technologies play in producing food and fibre.
This unit encourages students to explore a range of primary industry sectors that
produce food and fibre and the innovative methods and equipment involved.
As the unit progresses, the emphasis shifts to creating a designed solution for a
technologies context that is valued in the Australian Curriculum, namely Food and
fibre production.
Students explore
Students are invited to choose a do-it-yourself project to research and create a model
or a design that could assist with the production of a type of food or fibre. Options are a range of primary
also provided for students to create their own model or design featuring any aspect of
food or fibre production.
industry sectors
Having undertaken a design brief, students share their model or design in a mock that produce food
Meet the Inventors Television presentation.
and fibre and the
Year levels: 5 and 6
innovative methods
Curriculum focus
and equipment
In this unit, students:
Explore technologies used on farms and forests to produce food and fibre
involved.
Explore a range of technologies invented in the past and present that are used in
primary industries
Examine technologies used to produce pigs, mussels, cotton, and fences used in
sheep and cattle farming
Examine technologies used to produce timber, timber poles and paper goods
Reflect and evaluate what they have learned about technologies used in primary
industries.
Based on Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) materials
downloaded from the Australian Curriculum website in February 2015. ACARA does not endorse
any changes that have been made to the Australian Curriculum.
Generate, develop, communicate and document design ideas and processes for
audiences using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques
ACTDEP025
activities in the identified in the About the approach section of this unit and content descriptions in
the primary years in Design and Technologies as stated in the Australian Curriculum.
It is suggested that teachers create a hyperlinked unit. Organise the digital resources
for your classs use on a website or wiki or provide them on your interactive
whiteboard.
Some YouTube and online videos in addition to Internet based resources are suggested
in the unit. You will need to investigate what is available in your school.
The units topics are based on content descriptions of the Australian Curriculum and
on the key cross curriculum priority of sustainability. They embrace content that we
believe is of relevance and significance to all students. We encourage you to explore
ways in which the content can be adjusted to the context in which you are working.
Many of the activities contain the following icons offering a suggestion on how many
students should be involved:
Resource sheets are provided for some activities. Most are for photocopying and
distribution to students. They are identified within units in bold italic: Resource 1.1.
The resource sheets are designed to assist teachers to facilitate learning without
having to access a range of other resources.
When planning and implementing the unit of work make clear decisions on what you
will focus on in assessing learning. The unit provides an opportunity for a range of
skills and understandings to be observed. We encourage you to devise an assessment
plan or assessment rubric that features areas to be assessed over subsequent lessons.
In planning for assessment, student learning in the following areas can be considered:
Development of skills.
Ability to interpret information, perceive its meaning and significance, and use it to
complete real-world tasks.
For this unit, the following understandings are provided to assist teachers in planning
for assessment.
Assessment strategies
Each stage in the inquiry sequence provides information about student learning. There
are, however, two stages in the unit that are central to assessment: the Engage stage
and the Evaluate stage. Work that is undertaken in these stages can assist teachers to
monitor growth and observe concrete examples of the way student ideas have been
refined or have changed through the unit sequence. Work samples should be retained
for this purpose.
Each unit contains a Student Task which is well suited for assessment, as it is the
summation of the work undertaken by the students in this unit.
answers at each stage. You should select the activities according to the needs and interests of
your students and the time, relevance to the existing school curriculum and resources
available to you.
While you are encouraged to follow the suggested inquiry sequence for each unit, it is
quite possible to pick and choose from the range of activity ideas throughout the unit.
It may also be used in conjunction with other programs you use.
National Farmers This page provides basic food and fibre production information that may be helpful
when you interact with the school students.
Federation Agriculture plays a vital role in Australia, contributing to our social, economic and
environmental sustainability.
FarmFacts 2012 In 2011, there were 157,000 farmers in Australia. Around half of these were mixed
crop and livestock farmers (22 percent), beef cattle farmers (20 percent) or dairy
farmers (8 percent).
Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2010-11 Agricultural Census; Australian Bureau
of Statistics, Australian Social Trends, Australian Farming and Farmers, December 2012,
Catalogue No. 4102.0.
These farmers own or manage Australias 135,000 farm businesses 99 percent
ofwhich are Australian owned.
Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 201011 Agricultural Census; Australian Bureau of
Statistics, Agricultural Land and Water Ownership, December 2010, Catalogue No. 7127.0.
Each Australian farmer produces enough food to feed 600 people, 150 at home
and 450 overseas. Australian farmers produce 93 percent of Australias daily
domestic food supply.
2 0 1 1 , t here Sources: Keogh M, Australian Farm Institute, 2009, Australias response to world food
In security concerns, Address to the 1st National Farmers Federation Annual Congress Prime
7,000
were 15
Ministers Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (2010); Australia and Food Security
in a Changing World. The Prime Ministers Science, Engineering and Innovation Council,
farmers
Canberra, Australia.
lia.
The average Australian farmer is male (72 percent), 53 years old (compared with
inAustra 40 years old for people in other occupations), and a self-employed owner manager
(56 percent).
Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 201011 Agricultural Census; Australian Bureau
of Statistics, Australian Social Trends, Australian Farming and Farmers, December 2012,
Catalogue No. 4102.0.
As of June 2012, there were 290,000 people employed in Australian agriculture.
The complete agricultural supply chain, including the affiliated food and fibre
industries, provide over 1.6 million jobs to the Australian economy.
Sources: Australian Bureau of Agricultural & Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES),
Australian Commodity Statistics, 2012; Australias Farm Dependent Economy: Analysis of the
role of Agriculture in the Australian Economy. Modelling undertaken by Econtech.
The agricultural sector, at farm-gate, contributes 2.4 percent to Australias total
gross domestic product. The gross value of Australian farm production in 201112
was $46.7 billion.
Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced,
201112, Catalogue No. 7503.0; Australian Bureau of Statistics, 201011, Australian System
of National Accounts, Catalogue No. 5204.0; ABARES, Australian Commodity Statistics, 2012.
Australian farmers are environmental stewards, owning, managing and caring
for59 percent of Australias land mass.
s value
The gros
Sources: Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry,
At a Glance, 2012.
alian
ofAustr Farmers are at the frontline of delivering environmental outcomes on behalf of the
12 was Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Natural Resource Management on Australian Farms
in 2011 200607.
lion.
$46.7 bil
Australias primary industries have led the nation in reducing greenhouse gas
emissions: a massive 40 percent reduction between 1990 and 2006.
Source: Australian Government Department of Climate Change, National Inventory by
Economic Sector 2006.
Source: National Farmers Federation Farm Facts 2012 at http://www.nff.org.au/farm-facts.html
Meat and Australias national cattle herd stands at 28.5 million head with the beef industry
accounting for 57 percent of all farms with agricultural activity.
Livestock Australia produced around 2.2 million tonnes of beef and veal in 201213 directly
contributing to 1 percent of Australias gross domestic product.
Industry Australias national sheep flock is 74.7 million head with the sheep industry
accounting for 32 percent of all farms with agricultural activity.
Australia produces approximately 6 percent of the worlds lamb and mutton supply and
in 201213 exported 51 percent of all lamb and 96 percent of all mutton produced.
Australias beef and lamb industry employs approximately 200,000 workers across
farm, processing and retail.
Australian cattle and sheep farmers are the custodians of almost half of Australias
land.
Australias beef and lamb industry is committed to ensuring a sustainable food
supply for future generations with ongoing research and development projects
relating to water, soil, biodiversity, animal welfare, energy, emissions and more.
Source: Meat and Livestock Australia http://mla.com.au
Fishing and Australias marine domain, our Exclusive Economic Zone, is one of the largest in the
world, covering around 10 million square kilometres. This is larger than mainland
Aquaculture Australia (7.69 million square kilometres). Despite the size of this zone Australia ranks
46th in the world for seafood production.
Industry Australia has progressively adopted a more ecosystem-based approach to fisheries
management which looks at the effect of fishing practices not just on the target species,
but also on the environment and other related species. Fisheries managers monitor
both stock and fishing levels as well as a range of other environmental factors to ensure
the amount of seafood harvested every year does not deplete stocks. In addition,
government observers travel regularly on fishing boats to ensure compliance to quotas,
bycatch limits and other regulations.
Source: Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, 2013 http://frdc.com.au/
r a l i a s marine There were 6,991 people directly employed in the commercial fishing, hunting and
Aust trapping sector, and 3,642 in aquaculture enterprises.
covers
domain
The sector comprises approximately 120 wild catch fisheries and 70 aquaculture species.
n d 1 0 m illion The gross value of Australian commercial seafood and products (e.g. pearls) was
arou tres.
valued at $2.3 billion, an increase of 3 percent on the previous year.
e k i l o m e
squar Australian imports of fisheries products increased by 5 percent.
The value of production for the wild-catch sector declined by 1 percent to $1.3billion
and production volume decreased by 4 percent to 157,505 tonnes. While the gross
value of aquaculture production rose by 10 percent ($100 million) to $1.1 billion.
The largest contributor to Australian aquaculture production in 201112 was
salmonids, which make up 52 percent of the total aquaculture production volume
and 49 percent of the value.
Tasmania accounted for the largest share of gross value of production (30 percent),
followed by South Australia (19 percent) and Western Australia (17 percent).
Commonwealth fisheries accounted for 13 percent of the gross value of production.
Source: ABARES, 2013 http://data.daff.gov.au/data/warehouse/9aam/afstad9aamd003/2012/
AustFishStats_2012_v1.0.0.pdf
Cotton Industry Every year cotton farmers make an important social and economic contribution
to the nation creating jobs for 8,000 people (in Northern New South Wales and
Southern Queensland alone), support for more than 4,000 businesses and over
$2billion for the national economy in export earnings.
Sources: Cotton Australia Pocket Guide to Cotton, Judith Stubbs and Associates Report 2011.
In 2013, there were 1,181 cotton farms. 63 percent were in New South Wales and
37 percent were in Queensland. Of those farms cotton makes up 17 percent of
land area on farm.
Source: Cotton Annual 2014
s cotton
Australias cotton growers produce enough cotton to provide jeans, socks,
Au s t r a l i a underwear and a shirt for 450 million people. The overall yield in 2012 was
produce
10.37bales per hectare the first time in history that average yields have
growers exceeded 10 bales per hectare. Australias cotton growers produce yields almost
erage.
The average Australian cotton farmer is 39 years old, has a family owned and
w o r l d a v operated farm, employs on average six or more people, grows other crops like
sorghum, soybeans, wheat and canola, has 496 hectares of cotton and is not only
a farmer but also a builder, mechanic meteorologist, agronomist, conservationist,
scientist and marketer.
Sources: Pocket Guide to Cotton 2014, Monsanto audited numbers 20.12.13, 2013 Cotton
Practices Grower Survey, Cotton Research and Development Corporation.
The Australian cotton crop was worth almost $2.3 billion at the farm gate.
Source: Cotton Australia tables (compilation of industry sources), Cotton Compass.
The ratio of dryland cotton (rain grown) to irrigated cotton varies depending on the
% l e s s w ater is market and conditions. Of the 201112 crop 5 percent was dryland and 95 percent
40 irrigated. Favourable grain and sorghum prices meant many dryland farmers opted
to grow
needed
not to plant cotton at that time.
Sources: Cotton Australia tables (compilation of industry sources), ABARES Crop Report
e of
one tonn
December 2012.
nt Australian cotton growers have reduced their insecticide use by 95 percent over
cotton li the past 15 years. Source: Monsanto Audited numbers 20.12.2013.
r e d t o 2003.
comp a Cotton growers are good environmental stewards, owning and caring for native
vegetation equivalent to 40 percent of the area of their cotton farms, on average.
Source: 2011 Cotton Grower Survey (Cotton Research and Development Corporation and
Cotton Catchment Communities Co-operative Research Centre).
Source: Cotton Australia http://www.cottonaustralia.com.au
Pork Industry Australia is the first nation in the world to introduce the voluntary phase-out of
gestation stalls.
Pork accounts for approximately 0.4 percent of the national greenhouse gas
emissions significantly lower than other agricultural sectors, including beef at
11.2 percent, sheep at 3.4 percent, and cattle at 2.7 percent.
Source: Garnaut, R. 2008, The Garnaut climate change review final report, available at:
http://www.garnautreview.org.au/index.htm
W
hether housed indoors or outdoors, a pig spends more time resting than any
other domestic animal.
s pig
Australia
Australias pig herd health is one of the cleanest in the world, free from many
ne of
detrimental diseases found in most other pig producing countries
h e r d i s o
The feed component (mainly grains such as wheat, barley and sorghum) makes up
nest
the clea
about 60 percent of the total cost of producing pork.
orld.
in the w
Pigs have a very wide angle of vision (310 degrees) and are therefore easily
distracted.
The average growth rate of Australian pigs is around 600650 grams a day from
birth to sale.
Pigs have colour vision but they cant focus both eyes on the same spot.
Pigs are unable to perspire and they lose heat through their mouths. Their ideal
growing temperature is 2022C.
Source: Australian Pork Limited http://www.australianpork.com.au
Forestry Industry Forestry plays a vital role in Australia, contributing to our social, economic and
environmental sustainability.
Forests are also the foundation for a broad range of cultural and spiritual
experiences for diverse groups of people. They are a major tourist attraction for
Australian and overseas visitors, providing for a vast array of recreational and
educational activities.
In 201011, the total turnover of Australias forest product industries was more
than $24 billion.
s t r a l i a has 125 land area. Australia has about 3 percent of the worlds forest area, and the seventh
A u largest reported forest area of any country worldwide.
o n h e c t ares
mill i Australias 123 million hectares of native forests are dominated by eucalypt forests
and acacia forests.
t,
of fores
t to 16%
32 percent of all Australias native forests (private and public land) are protected
u i v a l e n
eq for biodiversity conservation. With 73 percent of Australias identified old growth
Forests protect soil and water resources and are increasingly being recognised
for their carbon storage and sequestration capability. The total carbon stored
in forests, wood and wood products and paper products was in the order of
400million tonnes in 2010.
Australias native and plantation forests provide the majority of the timber and a
significant proportion of the paper products used by Australians.
On average, each year, every Australian consumes the equivalent of about 1 cubic
metre of harvested log in the form of timber products, including timber for home
building, joinery and furniture and paper products.
rotect
Forests p
Australias forest management is among the best in the world in terms of
conservation reserves and codes of practice for production forests.
l a n d w ater
so i Australia has two forestry certification schemes that enable users of wood and
Dairy Industry Australian dairy is a $13 billion farm, manufacturing and export industry, directly
employing 43,000 Australians on farms and in dairy processing.
Australias 6,400 dairy farms with over 1.65 million dairy cows produce around
9.24 billion litres of milk a year. On average a dairy cow produces 5,525 litres of
milk every year.
Every year the average Australian drinks around 107 litres of milk, eats around
13.5 kilograms of cheese, uses nearly 4 kilograms of butter and consumes
7.6kilograms of yogurt.
ar
Every ye More than 100,000 Australians rely on dairy for their livelihoods, including vets,
rage
the ave scientists, mechanics, financial advisers and feed suppliers.
of milk. 40 percent of dairy products produced to more than 100 countries. Major export
markets include China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Australian dairy is a highly skilled industry. Dairy farmers need more than
170different skills to run a successful farm business.
n u f a c t uring ruminants include goats, sheep, giraffes and camels. It takes 50 to 70 hours for a
ma cow to turn grass into milk. Depending on the breed, a cow can make between
ort
and exp
25and 40 litres of milk a day. Before a cow can start producing milk, she must have
delivered a calf.
.
industry Cows eat about 40 kilograms of nutritious food a day equivalent to 206 baked
potatoes or 1,440 slices of bread! Cows can drink about 100 litres of water
(abathtub full) in a day.
Source: Dairy Australia: www.legendairy.com.au and www.dairyaustralia.com.au
CHECK OUT what technologies are used on a dairy farm...find at least four
different technologies that are used.
See: https://open.abc.net.au/explore/59300
know about farms, background knowledge to TALK about these farms and the technologies
used there.
what technologies
Immerse the students in the topic of technologies
they use, what they INTRODUCE the term technology. Ask students what a technology might be.
produce, and for SHARE different examples of technology, for example:
CHECK OUT how students at Saints Peter and Paul Primary School in the
Australian Capital Territory designed and made a natural pesticide for use
on the plants they grow for food.
http://www.juniorlandcare.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Using-natural-
pesticides-12.9-LR.pdf
TALK with the students about how learning in Design and Technologies
involves creating designed solutions. Reflect back on the designed
solutions created by the students at Youngtown, Gordonvale, Waikerie,
Girraween and Saints Peter and Paul School and the many steps involved in
their work.
Also INTRODUCE the term design thinking and the five phases of the
design process: Discovery, Interpretation, Ideation, Experimentation and
Evolution. See: http://www.ideo.com/work/toolkit-for-educators
http://www.designthinkingforeducators.com/design-thinking/
TALK about:
Deciding on an need.
and the five phases Add the steps involved in designing and making in Technologies to the
visual DISPLAY of different categories of technologies.
of the design
Brainstorm
process: Discovery,
BRAINSTORM ideas about how technologies might be used on farms;
Interpretation, infishing and aquaculture; and in forests. LIST key words and create a
flow chart to show links between them.
Ideation,
COLLATE the ideas and add these to the class visual display of different
Experimentation categories of technologies.
Explain to the class that their task will be to work in small groups to FIND OUT more
about technologies used on farms, in fishing and aquaculture or in forests.
Explain that later in the unit each student will also SHARE and EXPLAIN
their design as part of a Meet the Inventors television show, in which they
explain the key features of their chosen design or technology.
Encourage students in pairs to TALK about these inventions and how they
solved many needs in days gone by. Ask each pair to DESCRIBE and LIST
the technologies used today to plough land with, to capture an animal
Talk about with, to make holes in the ground with, to cook food on, to grind foods
with, to heat water with, to cut chaff with, and to refrigerate foods with.
inventions and
Explore other Australian technological innovations
how they solved OUTLINE to students some of the technological innovations developed in the
many needs in agricultural sector in the past, for example:
Ask students to RESEARCH one of the above or find out about more
recent innovations and see:
Jeff Esidale and Chris Hollands Two Wheel Tractor Seed Drill
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/newinventors/txt/s3273783.htm
The Smart Hook that makes long line fishing safer for seabirds and
turtles http://www.abc.net.au/tv/newinventors/txt/s2331630.htm
TALK with the class about the inventions and their implications for
producing food and fibre.
used on farms, ADD ideas and responses to the classs visual display of different ideas
about technologies.
in fishing and
RESEARCH TASK PART 1:
aquaculture or in
Investigate technologies used on farms,
forests. in fishing and aquaculture or in forests
RE-STATE to the class that they will be using a range of activities and websites to
develop understandings about technologies used on farms, in fishing and aquaculture
or in forests.
Note: Students can also design and make an entirely different model or
design that is used in the production of other foods and fibres too!
research a particular design Ask each pair or group to establish a work station based on their selected design task
and to GATHER the materials and tools they require.
develop skills of formulating
questions and gathering ideas TALK about safely storing their model or design and keeping a RECORD of the
processes they undertake.
develop the understanding of
how we can learn from others
Designing and producing
develop a model or design
Ask students to CHOOSE a design brief and begin their model or design.
explain how their chosen design
Remind students that they can CREATE any original design or model that
or model works.
has links to food or fibre production.
Design and produce a scale model of a fence that will keep sheep and
cattle in a paddock.
Design and make a long handled dip net for picking up fish out of the
Design and produce water after having been caught.
Presentation planning
Purpose Going further with the planning of the presentation
To provide students with Invite students to CONFIRM the idea planned for their presentation as part of the
opportunities to: Meet the Inventors television show.
share their designs and models Ask students to CREATE a final plan for completing their presentation.
plan their presentation Students may need to DOCUMENT their key messages, create a SCRIPT
to assist talking about their model or design. Invite them to DRAFT these
conduct their presentation.
and the learning achieved in a journal, log or reflection.
INVITE parents and other classes to the presentation of the Meet the
Inventors television show in which students EXPLAIN the key features of
their models or designs.
Discover Dairy
http://www.dairy.edu.au/discoverdairy/
Milk Cycle http://www.dairy.edu.au/discoverdairy/learning-resources/games/milk-cycle
Fisheries Research Development Corporation
http://frdc.com.au/
Forest Learning
http://www.forestlearning.edu.au
Geographical information systems http://forestlearning.edu.au/find-a-resource/article/25/geographical-information-systems.html
Going bush tracing the power poles back to North East Tasmanias forests http://forestlearning.edu.au/find-a-resource/article/26/going-bush-
tracing-the-power-poles-back-to-north-east-tasmania-s-forests.html
Going bush various demand for plantation and native forests http://forestlearning.edu.au/find-a-resource/article/28/going-bush-various-
demand-for-plantation-and-native-forests.html
Legendairy
http://www.legendairy.com.au/dairy-farming/our-people/farmer-stories
YouTube videos:
Fourth Grade Paper Making http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQoz1pkKmdA
Graham Mair: Million dollar tuna babies The Seafood CRC http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g84TwtxcZr0
Roger Wilk: Paper making at home http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87w8kdhjFvU
Target 100 channel. Innovative Cattle Stations in Australia. TEDxSydney https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdISOUfd4fo
Resource 1.1
Task sheet
Explore pig farms and the technologies used to produce pigs
VIEW the video about free range pig farming http://www.aussiepigfarmers.com.au/types-of-farming/free-range/
Use the space below to keep a RECORD and COLLECT information about the pig farm and its use of technologies in
the production of healthy pigs.
VIEW a second video about pig production where eco-shelters are used to house the pigs
http://www.aussiepigfarmers.com.au/types-of-farming/barn-reared-eco-housing/
Note: Some eco-shelters have optional ends including canvas panels, louvers and blinds.
Some eco-shelters have side blinds that wind up and down.
Some eco-shelters are made from Ultra Violet protecting materials that eliminate sunburn too.
VIEW a third video about the production of pigs and list the technologies used in indoor housing approaches.
http://www.aussiepigfarmers.com.au/types-of-farming/indoor-intensive-housing/
SKETCH some ideas you have. DECIDE on the best idea and COMPLETE a labelled design and list all the parts needed
to make it.
EVALUATE your design and WRITE a paragraph about the tasks that were involved. Include details on the quality of
your planning, your finished model and how well you worked with other students and if you enjoyed the task.
The Board managing the new product line requests that the brand and its label must have a unique design one that will be
attractive to the public and communicates accurate information about the product and how it was produced.
The following aspects need to be taken into account when making your design:
The words Australian Free Range Pork must appear as part of the design.
The visual aspect of the total design must be inclusive of Australian pig breeds that are sourced from free-range farms in
Australia.
The words Accredited by the Australian Pork Industry Quality Assurance Program (APIQ) and endorsed by the RSPCA must
appear as part of the design.
On paper/card or using digital technologies including Apps, DESIGN and COLOUR the brand label.
EVALUATE your design and WRITE a paragraph about this task. Include details on the quality of your planning, your
finished design and how well you worked with other students and if you enjoyed the task.
Task sheet
Explore some cattle and sheep farms and the technologies used
VIEW a virtual farm at http://virtualfarm.mla.com.au/
SELECT Malabar Farm and then click on the solar panel featured on the right hand side of the page.
WATCH two city dwellers visit a cattle station and discover the technology being used to make station life easier:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdISOUfd4fo
Use the space below to keep a RECORD and COLLECT information about the cattle and sheep farms and their use of
technologies.
RECORD the materials required to make a solar oven, the processes you need to undertake and then DESIGN and
MAKE a solar oven. IDENTIFY criteria for success using visual representations such as a flowchart.
EVALUATE your solar powered oven and WRITE a paragraph about what you have learnt, how you worked with your
partners and the quality of your solar oven.
Foxes and rabbits like to dig under fences and cats are good climbers. SUGGEST some ways of preventing these animals
from entering the paddocks. DRAW some sketches to show your ideas. LABEL these.
MAKE your scale model. EXPLAIN why you believe your fence will be effective.
EVALUATE your scale model and WRITE a paragraph about the tasks you were involved in. Include details on the
quality of your planning, your finished model and how well you worked with other students and if you enjoyed the task.
Task sheet
Explore an aquaculture farm and the technologies used to produce mussels
The systems used for aquaculture include but are not limited to ponds, fibreglass or concrete tanks, pens, suspended ropes, and
floating cages.
CHECK OUT how mussels are grown and list six technologies involved in mussel production.
See http://splash.abc.net.au/media/-/m/525687/down-on-the-mussel-farm-in-tasmania
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You will need some 2 litre plastic bottles, some yoghurt or margarine containers, tubing and filtering materials, for example: some
cotton wool, fine sand, charcoal, coarse sand, fine gravel, coarse gravel and water.
DRAW a labelled drawing of the water filter you made and DESCRIBE how it works. IDENTIFY criteria for success
using visual representations such as a flowchart.
EVALUATE your water filtration system and WRITE a paragraph about the processes involved in designing the system
and how it filters water. Include details on the quality of your planning, your finished model and labelled drawing, and
how well you worked with other students and if you enjoyed the task.
You will need tools for cutting wire and netting plus some fabric net, plastic flywire, stocking or pantyhose, a length of wooden
broomstick, and some wire.
THINK about the safety precautions you need to take when using wire. CHOOSE a tool suitable for cutting and bending
wire. SUGGEST some methods of joining your material to the wire.
USE your net. Was it successful? How could you improve on it?
EVALUATE your net and WRITE a paragraph about the tasks you were involved in. Include details on the quality of
your planning, your finished model and how well you worked with other students and if you enjoyed the task.
Task sheet
Explore a cotton farm and the technologies used to plant, grow, water, maintain and then pick the
cotton
Use the space below to keep a RECORD and COLLECT information about the cotton farm and its use of technologies.
DRAW a flow chart to DESCRIBE the processes used to prepare the soil before the crop goes in, plant the seed, give it
a drink, maintain it and pick the cotton bolls.
Then THINK about how the cotton bolls are separated from the cotton seeds, how the cotton bolls are pressed into
bales, transported and then sent overseas. EXPLORE how cotton is combed, spun into thread, bleached and dyed a
colour.
In planning how to make your model, you will need to do some RESEARCH.
WRITE a record of your work including information about your planning, predictions, and conducting your investigation
(include a diagram).
EVALUATE your model and WRITE a paragraph about the tasks you were involved in. Include details on the quality of
your planning, your finished model and how well you worked with other students and if you enjoyed the task.
Task sheet
Explore a range of forests and the technologies used to provide timber products
Native forests and plantations are forests of trees which are planted to produce wood. In forestry, trees are the crop being grown.
VIEW a video about native and plantation forests and the different uses for wood sourced from these forests at:
http://forestlearning.edu.au/find-a-resource/article/28/going-bush-various-demand-for-plantation-and-native-forests.html
RECORD what type of timber is best for producing cardboard, paper and tissues, and used in the different elements of
housing construction.
USE the space below to keep a RECORD and COLLECT information about technologies used to harvest wood from a
Tasmanian forest and produce power poles. DRAW a flow chart to describe the processes used.
DECIDE on a good area for a revegetation project and CREATE a site plan for the proposed area (1:25 is a good scale
to draw your design ideas. This is 4 centimetres represents 1 metre).
THINK about what trees need to grow and what species are able to survive in your region then RESEARCH the ideal
location where good soil and water can be found within the school.
IDENTIFY human influences affecting the site (for example, foot traffic) and plan how to minimise these.
SELECT vegetation for multiple levels canopy, shrubs and ground cover including native grasses.
RECORD plant choices and DISPLAY the design for school community feedback. CALCULATE the numbers of each
type of plant needed and compile a LIST of materials required to develop the site. Decide the details of the design and
seek feedback on any final design choices.
EVALUATE your plan and WRITE a paragraph about the tasks you were involved in. Include details on the quality of
your planning, your finished design and how well you worked with other students and if you enjoyed the task.
CHOOSE a bird, possum or bat that is native to your area and RESEARCH its dimensions and what type of tree it lives
in. EXPLORE that place within the tree that it likes to live in too in addition to what it eats and the typical things that
might threaten it.
RESEARCH nesting box sizes, designs and appropriate timber and investigate various methods of joining wood.
CONSIDER how the bird or animal will enter the box, how it can be cleaned out and how it might be secured to a tree.
SKETCH drawings of the front and side views of your selected nesting box and draw up a list of the materials and parts
you will need to make it.
Produce a full size MODEL using recycled cardboard and then MAKE it and paint it for weather proofing.
EVALUATE your nesting box and WRITE a paragraph about the tasks you were involved in. Include details on the
quality of your planning, your finished model and how well you worked with other students and if you enjoyed the task.
MAKE your own paper using water, shredded used paper, a blender, scissors, spoon, ladle, trays, and screen.
EVALUATE the processes you used to make some paper and WRITE a paragraph about steps involved in this task.
Include details on the quality of your planning, your finished paper and how well you worked with other students and if
you enjoyed the task.
Task sheet
Explore a range of Australian dairy farms and the technologies used to produce milk
VIEW a range of Farmer Stories in the dairy industry around Australia
http://www.legendairy.com.au/dairy-farming/our-people/farmer-stories
Remember to use the drop-down tool and VIEW information about different dairy farms in Victoria, Queensland,
NewSouth Wales, Tasmania and South Australia.
EXPLORE more of the technologies involved in producing milk. USE the Discover Dairy interactive titled Milk from
Farm to Plate. Whats it all about? http://www.dairy.edu.au/discoverdairy/learning-resources/games/milk-cycle
Use the space below to keep a RECORD and COLLECT information about dairy farms and how dairy farmers use a
range of technologies to care for their land and their animals to ensure quality milk production.
Your task is to DESIGN packaging that is effective and environmentally friendly for a suite of two dairy foods.
INVESTIGATE the ways that milk, cheese, yogurt, cream, ice cream or butter are packaged. VISIT the local
supermarket and take note of the materials that are used to support the contents, the size and shape of the package
and the information that is provided for consumers (Nutrition Information Panel).
PRODUCE packaging for two different types of dairy foods. LABEL your design and include any relevant information
including what material it is made from, the size (in grams or millilitres) and a Nutrition Information Panel. Give your
product a NAME and ILLUSTRATE it.
WRITE a paragraph about this task. Include details on the quality of your planning, your finished product and how well
you worked with other students and if you enjoyed the task.
Source: Discover Dairy http://www.dairy.edu.au/discoverdairy/
Your task is to FIND OUT what happens to milk when it leaves the farm and to sequence the process of converting on farm milk
into a product suitable for retail sale.
RESEARCH what happens to milk when it leaves the farm on the Discover Dairy website.
See: http://www.dairy.edu.au/discoverdairy/
EXPLORE the processes of converting milk produced on the farm into a product available for sale and EXPLAIN why
its packaged.
PRODUCE a marketing campaign that communicates your RESEARCH about the processes involved in producing dairy
products.
Extension: What size milk cartons/bottles are available in Australia? A supermarket website or brochure may help you
find the answer. Why do you think we need a choice in size? What would happen if there was only one option in size?
Source: Discover Dairy http://www.dairy.edu.au/discoverdairy/